Identity cards will not ensure the defeat of terrorism

SIR - I write as a one-time naval officer with responsibility for intelligence and security, and one who has travelled legitimately under a false identity in countries requiring identification cards. Historically, all self-respecting spies have possessed not only valid identity cards but also the requisite security clearances to gain access to the information they needed.

In the Services, identification cards are issued only after the candidate passes specialist scrutiny or screening. If they do not qualify for the identification cards they are refused entry or made to leave the Service. For those "in the club" it is an offence not to carry one's identification card.

The situation for the civilian population would be quite different, but equally ineffective in preventing breaches of security or terrorism. It is different because everyone legitimately resident in or visiting the UK would not merely be obliged to have an identification card, they would be entitled to one. Should the state refuse them an identification card, it would be severely curtailing their civil rights.

Identification cards are in themselves a wholly ineffective means of guarding against breaches of security - that is, terrorism, incitement, money-laundering and so on - unless the scrutiny supporting their issuance is highly invasive and continual. Their introduction would mean that co-operative citizens would become the target of routine surveillance, and unco-operative people would not be curtailed or exposed any more than they are at present.